Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton is no longer with the New Orleans Saints, but that hasn't stopped him from poaching his former team's players and coaches. After agreeing to contracts with wide receiver Lil'Jordan Humphrey and running back Tony Jones Jr, Payton and the Broncos have done it again on Friday. Ex-Saints wide receiver Marquez Callaway is planning on signing with Denver, a league source told Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.
Callaway, who went undrafted out of Tennessee, had a small role on the offense during the 2020 season. But he thrived under the coaching of Payton in 2021, putting up career-best numbers across the board with 46 receptions, 698 yards and six touchdowns.
Payton is clearly hoping the continuity from his Saints offense will carry over to the Broncos with Callaway. With Denver unlikely to trade away Jerry Jeudy unless a team blows them away with an offer, the team will boast a receiving corps that includes Jeudy, Courtland Sutton, KJ Hamler, who recently underwent surgery to repair a torn pectoral, Tim Patrick and Callaway.
Along with Humphrey, Jones and Callaway, the Broncos have brought in ex-Saints coaches Joe Lombardi, Michael Wilhoite, Zach Strief, and Declan Doyle.
Payton also convinced former New Orleans coach Mike Westhoff to unretire, while poaching former Saints strength and conditioning coach Dan Darlymple.
Sensing a pattern here?
The Broncos are looking more and more like the Denver Saints by the day. But that's perfectly fine with fans, especially if they enjoy the success that Payton's New Orleans teams did.
The Broncos, coming off of a disappointing 5-12 season, have revamped the team around Russell Wilson with (cough, ex-Saints, cough) better players in the hopes of a turnaround.
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